The Logistics of Sleep
by RomanceGuru
Summary: Simon & Zoe ficlet. Angsty-fluff? She needed more than just a Doctor...R


The Logistics of Sleep

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Prompt: Calm

A/N: Unbetaed. Angsty-fluff? I finally got to this repair! My fingers were curious, so after the 300 words, click on the link if you wish to read the rest. Kaylee who?

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She went to him the day she felt herself slipping. Walked right into his infirmary and demanded a smoother, anything to make it stop. It'd been over 6 months since, and her husband had haunted her dreams almost every night of them, tormenting her with all she couldn't have and it was becoming unbearable. Just as well she didn't sleep at all anymore. And she didn't, foolish as it were.

Simon glanced into Zoe's tired eyes as he guided the needle steadily into her arm, concern built up behind his own stoic mask. He'd been observing her with some unease over the months, but he knew better than to intervene before she was ready.

"No dreams, right, Doc?" Zoe reconfirmed, a slight desperation in her voice as she felt the rush of fluid into her arm. It was cold and foreign and she liked the feeling.

"You need to dream..." Simon began patiently, wanting to explain to her the logistics of sleep, but he stopped short when he saw the pained look on her face. "You won't remember them." He offered gently instead.

"Good." Swinging her legs over the side if the table, Zoe steadied herself before slowly pushing up, already swept by a gentle fog.

"I wouldn't…" Simon cautioned futilely as he watched her waver, coming quickly to her side and slipping a helpful arm around her waist as she fell against him. "You're not going to make it back to your room without help." He advised, feeling the weight of her.

She didn't really want his help, not more than he'd already given, but she found herself leaning unsteadily into him, her face pressed against the smooth skin at his unbuttoned collar, slowly calmed by the drugs in her veins and the clean, warm scent of his skin.

"You smell nice." Zoe offered almost drunkly, a large smile recapturing foreign territory. Blushing slightly, Simon's hands suddenly became aware of their placing as he lead her out of the infirmary.

Just outside the door, Zoe's normally steady knees gave out and Simon caught her, bringing her back up to level. The drugs usually didn't take effect this quickly, but he imagined she was already so sleep deprived, that it wouldn't take much.

"I think maybe," Zoe said in a daze, "I should lay down." And before Simon could stop her, she turned towards his room and went in through the open door, spreading herself out over the neat covers, languidly and comfortably.

Simon stood awkwardly at the entrance, watching as she pressed her face contently into his pillow, her almond-eyes coming to a close. After another moment, he snapped to and backed quietly out of the room, intent on allowing the woman at least one nights worth of decent sleep.

"Doc?"

Simon looked up raptly from the slider's handle, noticing that Zoe's eyes were once again open. Her smile had gone and she looked almost…afraid.

"Been a long time since…" She tried, faltering. "I was wondering. If it ain't too much trouble for you to…" And that was all she could manage to get out, because she really wasn't good at the asking part, drugs or no.

Not needing another word, Simon reversed his direction and shut the door quietly behind him. "I'll take the chair." He offered politely as he started to loosen his cuffs.

Zoe nodded, watching him vaguely as he dressed down. He had missed her meaning, her intent. More than anything right now she needed to feel someone's arms around her again. Something to anchor her in from the despair she couldn't shake. But she'd take the company in this form. Anything to fill the room, the void, and hopefully her sleep.

Kicking off his shoes, Simon settled down into the stiff chair next to the bed, resting his head back wearily, and rubbing the day from his face.

It was quiet for a long while before he heard a gentle snoring. Lifting his head from that static place just before sleep, he watched as Zoe breathed softly, her long curls snaking themselves every which way over his bed. There was a peace on her face now, one long evaded, and he felt privy to its secret.

Instinctively and without thought, Simon rose from his chair and lay next to this woman finally made vulnerable. Carefully, he placed his arm around her. He could feel her body relax into his, the curve of her backside fitting into him unconsciously, and it seemed to work this way. Far better than any quick fix ever could.

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End file.
